


The one with the butler under the tree

by akachankami



Series: Shippers Anonymous [8]
Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-03
Updated: 2017-08-03
Packaged: 2018-12-10 20:14:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11699106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akachankami/pseuds/akachankami
Summary: Prompt:Though it was his afternoon off, he was not in the habit of missing supper. She remembered him heading out, book in hand and a rug tucked over his arm. She found him asleep under the old oak tree, one arm carelessly tossed over his head, rogue curl hanging over one brow. Mind wandering to thoughts of what it might have been like to come across him asleep like this in the lofts over the stables when he was a young lad, she felt her cheeks flush hot as she knelt beside him.





	The one with the butler under the tree

She picks up the book and starts to leaf through the pages. She sits, eventually, next to him and sighs but he doesn't seem to wake up just yet…

Placing the book down on the rug once again she calls him softly and brushes a curly strand off his forhead… and he only grunts not opening his eyes, so she smiles, picks up a daisy from the ground and secure it at his breast pocket giggling to herself.

Charles mumbles something in his sleep and it sounds like her name so she answers and he mumbles something else she doesn't understand. She picks up another daisy and then another and soon after Elsie is in the process of making a flower crown when she finds him staring at her.

"You didn't show up for supper," she informs him.

"What time is it?"

She looks at the setting sun: "Almost eight."

Charles sighs but doesn't move.

"We should go back to the house," she suggests. "Thomas had the gong tonight and everyone thinks you're getting the lad some more responsibility so we don't really have to worry about being late…" she adds then.

"But we should go back," he finally says still not moving. His curly head so tempting, Elsie smiles trying to refrain herself from combing her fingers through his hair. Instead she hides the flower crown behind her back.

None of them makes any attempt to stand up and they enjoy the sunset a little longer. "We could stay," he whispers.

"We could," she agrees.

"Because I'm too old to sleep on the ground and I cannot seem to be able to stand," he confesses then slightly blushing. Elsie fails to hide her giggle and they end up both laughing when their knees pop standing up.

"Oh I wish I were twenty again!"

"You don't look that old now with…" she offers brushing that curl off his forhead again. Elsie is not sure but he might have blushed too and she suddenly wishes the ground to swallow her whole. Instead he stands taller and smiles back at her.

The sun is gone, she takes his proffered arm as they slowly make their way toward the house.

If he were twenty he'd ask her to dance but he'll probably ask her for a hot water bottle for his back instead and if he's bold enough and extremely lucky even a back rub.


End file.
